Monday, October 18, 2010

It's All An Illusion


Bridget Riley, Movement in Squares 1961

As you look at Riley's artwork above, what do you first notice? How does she use shape and repetition? Is this artwork an effective optical illusion? Why or why not?

Shape Activity, Page 20
Divide your page into 4 squares.
  • In the first square, create a design with organic shapes.
  • In the second square, create a design with geometric shapes.
  • In the third and fourth square, draw the same image, but fill in the first box by shading the positive space and fill in the third by shading in the negative space.
Op Artwork (part of the one-a-week series)
  • 9" x 12" paper
  • Pencil in lines lightly with horizontal lines, vertical lines, and/or concentric circles.
  • Focus on Repetition, Pattern, Contrast, and Geometric Shape.
  • Ink in with marker. Continue to use ruler, compass, and protractors.
Artwork will:
  • Use geometric shape, pattern/repetition, and contrast.
  • Create an optical illusion implying movement and contrast.
  • Use high-level craftsmanship.
  • Be original and complex.

6 comments:

  1. Excited about this project.
    Hoping mine will come out wonderful.

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  2. i am really happy about this project i think it will be a fun experience for everyone

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  3. After staring at the piece of art that was posted, i felt or i saw the squares closing in at the center. This project sounds fun... but yet challenging.

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  4. As soon as I saw the work above I immediately felt like I was staring down a hallway. The repetition of the square and then the slow decrease in size of the rectangle make it seem as if the piece is 3D and that there is depth. I think it is a very effective optical illusion even though it's simple, because it tricks the eye and therefor the mind using repetition, contrast, and just patterns in general.

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  5. I first noticed how the squares in the center are slightly more ocmpressed than the others, making it seem like it's a hallway, like Estevan said. She used the squares over ad over again, coloring them black and white. This will make the eye confuse so it won't focus as much as it can which enables the illusion to trick us. This is a very effective optical illusion because just by changing the size of the square, Riley showed depth on the 2d art.

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  6. I really like this activity and I am super excited to get started on it. I think I will have a little trouble but hopefully it will come out as good as the one shown above.

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